True Affections
by Kelly of the midnight dawn
Summary: Kathy has a discussion with Elliot after the birth of their child. Post 'Paternity' EO, EK friendship, OK friendship. Lot's of angst. T for now
1. Chapter 1: Better Off

**True Affections**

**Chapter 1: Better Off**

**Disclaimer: I wish I may, I wish I might but so far that's doing me no good. They're still not mine.**

**A/N: Okay, EK baby or no EK baby, Elliot and Olivia hugged! So I'm in a good mood. It wasn't the kiss we'd been promised but at least this episode didn't leave me feeling dead inside like so many others this season.**

**So here's a post ep story I decided to write. I hope you all like it. It's going to be EO of course but hopefully there will be a little EK friendship eventually because I find it hard to hate someone when they've almost died. Enjoy!**

Kathy looked down at the tiny baby in her arms. She had loved him from the second he had first kicked inside her and she was eternally grateful to Olivia for saving him. She had been so afraid. She thought that neither she nor the baby would make it. If it hadn't been for Olivia, staying by her side, reassuring her, she knew she wouldn't have made it.

She turned to Elliot who sat beside her. She thought about the discussions the two of them had had over the past few days and in fact, during the entire time she had been pregnant. She looked down at the baby in her arms. Was it really fair to have this child grow up in a household where mommy and daddy fought every other second, that was, when daddy was home of course.

She leaned back against the pillows of the hospital bed as Elliot Stabler Jr. rooted around for her nipple. She almost laughed, thinking of how touchy feely the original Elliot had been on their first date.

She sighed and let her eyes drift closed "Elliot," she said in a tired voice.

"Yeah?" he asked eagerly from the chair beside the bed "Do you need anything?"

"Nah," she replied "Just… can you tell me something?"

"What?" he asked and she rolled her head to the side to look at him.

"If I hadn't been pregnant," she began, knowing that their current situation was pretty much her fault for being the one to beg him to come home in the first place when she had found out. "Would you have still come home?"

"Of course," he answered without missing a beat but his tone was lacking something and after a moment, Kathy realized what it was. His tone lacked sincerity.

"The truth Elliot," she said, keeping her voice even; she didn't have the strength to speak any other way "Before we spent that night together, there was something holding you back," she stated plainly "You said you wanted to move back in but… your heart wasn't in it."

Elliot sat there in silence. Listening to what his wife said. He had to admit that some of what she was saying struck a cord. There had been things that had come with his life without Kathy that he hadn't been ready to relinquish. And now that circumstances had forced them back together, he found himself missing those things far too often for his own comfort.

"I remember when you asked to come home," she continued as their son fell asleep in her arms, completely oblivious to what was going on "You said you loved your family. Only recently did you start saying that you love me again."

"Kathy…" Elliot began but his words drifted off into silence.

"We say things Elliot," she told him "But we don't mean half of them anymore. Things are different," she shifted the baby in her arms "I don't want either of us to regret this little miracle because in the end he's the only reason we're together."

"That's not true," Elliot objected "I do love you."

"I know you do," Kathy smiled sadly "And I love you too. But it's not the same. It's not the way it should be. I love you because you're familiar. You're the man who gave me five beautiful, healthy children. That's how I love you. But we don't work well together."

"What are you saying?" Elliot asked "You want to file for divorce again?"

"I'm sorry Elliot," she said softly "But I think it's better in the long run for all of us," she looked down again at the sleeping baby in her arms. She didn't want him to know the hostile environment that existed when she and Elliot collided over some thing or another. If the separation went well, if she could make him understand, maybe she and Elliot could be friends.

Elliot sighed and stood up "Whatever you think is best," he said in an emotionless voice as he turned to leave.

"You're leaving?" Kathy asked, a little bit surprised.

"I thought you made it perfectly clear," he said without turning around "You're kicking me out."

"Out of my bed, out of the marriage but not out of my life or the lives of our children," Kathy clarified, hoping that he would understand; she didn't want him to leave angry.

Elliot's shoulders slumped "I'll be back in a minute," he said in resignation "I'm just gonna go take a walk, clear my head."

"Please don't be mad at me," she called after him in a tiny voice. She had only been trying to do the right thing but it hadn't worked out that way at all.

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Her head swam. She was beginning to regret not being checked out at the hospital. Olivia stood up and stumbled to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. She popped a couple Tylenol and washed them down with a glass of water. It was just a really bad headache. The important thing was that Kathy and the baby were alright.

She stumbled back to the couch and collapsed on it. She was exhausted. It had been a long and stressful day. After a little while, she felt her headache begin to dissipate. She smiled to herself, Tylenol worked wonders sometimes.

She rolled onto her side and reached for the TV remote. She flipped through the channels until she found something worth watching and settled herself further into the cushions.

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Elliot found himself walking further and further from the hospital. He didn't really have much of an intention to go back, at least not tonight. Kathy had just dropped an enormous bombshell and he didn't think she understood just how big it was.

He had gotten used to living at home with his family. Sure the occasional squabbles with Kathy were unpleasant but he knew he would miss even those fights. Even the thought that he could get back the things he'd lost when he moved back home was no comfort.

Olivia was her own woman, he couldn't expect her to wait for him while he made up his flighty mind. She had been ever loyal to him during his separation; he didn't remember her having a date in almost two years. She had been always there, a constant in his turbulent life, always ready to lend a sympathetic ear.

But he'd never offered her so much as a word to suggest that their relationship was anything beyond what it always had been. He hadn't been fair to her. As he thought about it, he hadn't been fair to any of the women in his life.

He had to think long and hard about this. But in the meantime, he decided, it wasn't fair to leave Kathy alone at the hospital with a newborn, considering that she had almost died that day. She was probably still terrified and no matter what his marital status, he should still be there to support her, after all, she was the mother of his children and he would always care deeply for her, no matter what the future held.

He turned around and started walking back in the direction of the hospital when he heard something behind him. He spun around, reaching for his gun, only to remember that he had made a trip to the precinct and deposited it in his locker before heading back to the hospital that night.

"Hand over your wallet," some run of the mill street punk demanded.

Elliot held his hands up in the air "Okay," he said evenly, as the nerves looking kid pointed a gun at him. Though the kid looked nerves, the gun seemed to be steady, all except fot the kid's trigger finger "Just take it easy," Elliot decided that the contents of his wallet were a small price to pay for not getting shot. "I'm just gonna read into my pocket and get it, okay?" he watched as the kid nodded.

He pulled out his wallet and handed it to the kid. The kid took the wallet and lowered the gun "Get out of here," he said in a shaky voice.

Elliot turned and proceeded to make a hasty retreat but not before the kid had opened the wallet to survey his ill gotten gains. His eyes fell upon Elliot's ID "You're a cop," his voice was full of anger and fear.

Elliot didn't bother turning around. He saw a row of trashcans and dove behind it just as the kid fired. Unfortunately, he didn't move fast enough.

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Olivia hadn't realized that she had dozed off but when her phone rang, jerking her awake, and she found herself staring at a still turned on television, she realized that that was what had happened. She reached for the phone with one hand as with the other, she rubbed her eyes "Benson."

"Olivia," it was Kathy.

Olivia sat up "Hey," she began "How are you and the baby?" she hadn't expected to hear from Kathy that night or really… ever.

"We're both fine," Kathy said a bit cheerfully "Thanks to you." There was a long, awkward pause before Kathy spoke again "Is Elliot with you?"

"What?" Olivia was confused "No, I thought he was with you at the hospital. Why would he be here?"

There was another long awkward pause during which Olivia thought she heard Kathy sniffling. "I…" Kathy began "We had a talk and…" Kathy's voice was full of shame "I'd just got to thinking about why we're together," she blurted "And I… my timing was so horrible," Olivia could hear the tears in Kathy's voice "He went for a walk to clear his head over two hours ago."

"I'm sure he's fine," Olivia assured her "He probably just went home."

"I've called there," Kathy said "He's not there. I called the precinct and no one there's seen him since this afternoon. Maureen hasn't seen him. I'm just afraid something's happened to him."

Olivia could hear the panic in the other woman's voice and the more Kathy told her about no one whom Elliot would usually contact hadn't heard from him, the more panicked she became herself.

She pulled herself off of the couch and grabbed her coat "Did he say where he was going?" she asked as she grabbed her gun, badge and keys.

"No," Kathy whimpered pitifully "And you haven't heard from him?" she asked in a last ditch attempt to cling to some sort of hope.

"No," Olivia said as a hard, tight knot formed in the pit of her stomach "I'm on my way over there," she told Kathy in a hurry. "I'll have a talk with the security guards and see if they can tell me anything."

"Thank you," Kathy sniffled, sounding a little more at ease. If anyone could find Elliot, it was Olivia.

Olivia hung up and practically jogged down the stairs of her building. The knot in her stomach was growing tighter by the moment. She could feel an icy wind ripping through her very soul. Wherever Elliot was, he wasn't all right.

**A/N: Uh-oh, what's going to happen? Review and find out. And yes I know this is another new story but I've explained this to you guys before, good episodes make me write things LOL.**


	2. Chapter 2: Girl Talk

**True Affections**

**Chapter 2: Girl Talk**

**A/N: Hey, I figured that I'd update again today. Thanks to all of you who reviewed. I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

Olivia rushed through the front doors of the hospital and round the first security guard she could. She opened her wallet and pulled out a picture of Elliot, her heart beating frantically all the while "Have you seen him?" she asked desperately.

"Oh yeah," the guard said, nodding "He walked out of here a couple of hours ago."

"Thanks," Olivia said breathlessly. At least she knew that wherever Elliot was, he wasn't still in the hospital. She made an abrupt U turn and left the hospital just as quickly as she had come. She had no idea where to go and as she slid into the driver's seat of her car, she felt a feeling of complete helplessness come over her.

Her vision clouded with tears as she turned the key in the ignition. She furiously wiped them away, knowing that crying served her no purpose right now but somehow unable to stop. She finally managed to reign in her emotions and began to drive through the streets, searching for her partner.

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"Gunshot wound to the chest!" an paramedic called as they wheeled the gurney into the ER.

The staff began frantically to work on the man. The area around the gurney was a confused muddle of paramedics, doctors and nurses.

"BP's seventy and dropping!" a nurse called.

"We've gotta get him to surgery!" one of the doctors informed the group.

"We're losing him!" the nurse called out as they moved past a set of double doors.

As they disappeared from sight, another nurse just managed to glimpse the face of the man on the gurney. Her mouth dropped open. She had been on duty earlier that day when they had brought his wife in. She turned to one of the paramedics "Do you know what happened?" she asked as the atmosphere in the room began to calm down.

"Looks like a mugging gone bad. He had no wallet, no ID," he informed her.

"He's a cop," the nurse said with certainty "He's the one who's wife almost died today."

The paramedic nodded. He had been one of the first responders to the car accident that afternoon "I'll notify the NYPD."

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Olivia turned the car down another corner and saw a police cruiser with its lights flashing. She stopped and got out. She walked towards where she saw two plain clothes officers standing and took out her badge "What happened hear?" she asked, hoping that it didn't have anything to do with Elliot and yet somehow, feeling in the pit of her stomach that it did.

One of the detectives smiled at her "It's nothing to be concerning yourself with Detective," he said politely "Just a mugging gone wrong."

Olivia noticed the blood stain on the sidewalk "Where's the victim?" she asked.

"Buss took him to Mercy," the tall man replied "Perp shot him in the back as he was trying to dive for cover."

Olivia prayed that it hadn't been Elliot. Elliot would have had his gun with him. He was invincible. There was no way that he would ever be taken down by some thug in search of some quick cash.

"Are you alright," the man she had been talking to asked her.

She nodded "Yeah, yeah," she said quickly, swallowing a forming lump in her throat "Any ID on the victim?"

"Not yet," the detective answered "We've got uniforms dumpster diving in a three block radius for the wallet," just as he was saying this, an officer came up to them.

"Detective," the officer handed over a wallet in an evidence bag.

"Thanks," the detective snapped on a pair of gloves and reached into the bag, pulling out the wallet and opening it. The man fell silent for a moment "This isn't good," he murmured.

"What?" Olivia asked. She didn't like being an observer.

"He's one of us," the detective told her.

"What's his name?" Olivia asked desperately as the knot in her stomach tightened to the point where she felt like the constricting mass was going to make her collapse. She almost reached out and grabbed the ID from the other detective's hand.

The man reached out with his free arm and kept her at bay "Take it easy," he said in a calming voice.

"Just tell me," she was almost crying now "Please," she whispered "My partner's missing. I've been looking for him everywhere, please tell me it's not him?" she felt her knees going weak.

"Is your partner's name Elliot Stabler?" the detective asked as he slid the wallet back into the evidence bag and put it in his pocket. He looked back at Olivia just in time to see her crumple and he managed to catch her before she hit the ground.

"Oh God," she whispered, pulling out of the detective's arms instantly. Her legs were still wobbly. She took a step in the direction of her car.

"For what it's worth," the man said as he reached out, trying to steady her "I heard from the hospital about twenty minutes ago. They think he's got a good chance."

Olivia pulled her arm from his grasp and slid into her car. She looked up at him "Thanks," she said in an almost emotionless voice. She turned the key and looked back at the detective "Do me a favor?"

"Yeah?" he asked in an oddly hopeful tone.

She fought the urge to scowl at him "Get this son-of-a-bitch."

"Consider it done," he said with a tiny smile as he stepped away from the car.

Olivia rolled up the window and sped away. She headed back to the hospital. What was she going to tell Kathy? What was she going to do if Elliot didn't make it? She wanted to smack herself. He had to make it. He was too much of a stubborn jackass not to pull through this.

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Kathy looked up at the sound of someone entering her room. A nurse had only minutes before brought little Elliot to her for a late night feeding and he was suckling happily at her breast. The little baby waved a hand in the direction of the newcomer and Kathy almost laughed, wondering if he was aware of whom it was he was waving at "Did you find him?" she asked as Olivia came and sat in the chair which Elliot had been sitting in only hours before.

Olivia took a deep breath. Somehow her eyes were drawn to her partner's namesake. He was only a few hours old. He deserved the chance to know his father. He had a very good father. Now, thanks to some random punk, he might not get that chance. She took another deep breath and found herself wiping tears from her eyes.

"Olivia?" Kathy's voice was small, shaky, full of fear "What happened?"

"He…" Olivia began but found herself being choked up. She took another deep breath and found her gaze falling to the tile floor "He got mugged," she said softly.

"Is he alright?" Kathy's tone was desperate now, similar to the tone that Olivia had used with the detective at the scene.

"No," Olivia fought to suppress a sob but failed miserably "The perp shot him. He's in surgery now. The detective at the scene said they told him Elliot's chances were good but…" she couldn't help but bury her face in her hands "I just talked to his doctors… He… He's lost a lot of blood and they… they don't know…" she broke down, unable to speak another word. She had barely managed a phone call to Cragen with the three word phrase "Elliot's been shot" before she'd felt herself falling apart. But this was a thousand times worse.

"Oh God," Kathy sobbed, clutching her baby to her as she began to sob "If I hadn't… I shouldn't have… Oh God," if she had just been able to wait until tomorrow to broach the subject of their marriage, he wouldn't have left the hospital. He wouldn't have gotten shot "This is all my fault," she whispered tearfully.

"No," Olivia said quickly, trying to assure the other woman "Kathy, it isn't."

"I told him that I wanted the divorce," she admitted. Her son began to cry, sensing the anguish of the people around him. Kathy turned to Olivia "Could you take him for a second?" she almost begged as she sat forward and extended her arms.

"Sure," Olivia said, still sniffling as she reached out and took Elliot Jr. in her arms. She had helped bring this little miracle into the world. She stared down into big, sleepy blue eyes, so much like his father's eyes. The baby grasped one of her fingers tightly in his tiny hand and Olivia held back another sob.

"He thought I was kicking him out," Kathy continued, her voice slightly calmer as she tried to catch her breath, though tears still cascaded down her face.

"You broke his heart when you left him the first time," Olivia said softly as her partner's son looked up at her with those damned eyes that only reminded her of his father.

"I know," Kathy admitted "I thought it was the right thing to do at the time. I still think that it's better for us. But everything… I got pregnant and now this," she fought not to break into uncontrollable sobs.

After a few minutes, Olivia passed little Elliot back to his mother. Kathy held her baby tightly until the nurse returned to take him back to the nursery. When the two women were left alone together, silence seemed like the easiest route.

Kathy took a deep shuddering breath, intending to be the one to break the silence. She turned and saw Olivia with her head in her hands "You're in love with him aren't you?" she asked. Her words surprised both of them.

Olivia looked up, an expression of shock on her face "I…" she began.

"Sorry," Kathy murmured, turning to look at her lap "I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable," she herself was feeling a bit uncomfortable already "It's just… I see the way you look at him and…"

"I would never take him away from you and the kids," Olivia said firmly.

"I know," Kathy admitted "Don't worry about that. I know you're not that kind of person. But that's not what I asked."

Olivia sighed, her gaze fixed on the floor "Yeah," she whispered "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Kathy told her understandingly as she wiped more tears from her eyes "He deserves to be loved. I love him but not the way he deserves to be loved. I'm glad he's got someone like you."

Olivia managed to pry her gaze from the floor at long last and meet Kathy's eyes. She managed a watery smile as tears kept falling "Thanks," she said quietly.

A nurse knocked on the door of Kathy's hospital room only a few moments later. She came over to Kathy's bedside and smiled sympathetically "You're husband is out of surgery and recovering. It seems like he's going to be fine. I can take you to see him if you want."

Kathy nodded and stood up on shaky legs. She turned and gestured for Olivia to follow. The nurse looked in Olivia's direction "I'm sorry, the doctor said that only family are allowed in at this time."

Kathy turned to the nurse with a defiant gaze "It's okay," she said firmly "She is family."

**A/N: I hope you liked this chapter. I figured that Olivia and Kathy needed to have a talk that went beyond the one they had last season. That one left a lot of things unsaid. Please review and I'll try to update again soon.**


	3. Chapter 3: Conflict

**True Affections**

**Chapter 3: Conflict**

**A/N: It took me a little longer than I thought it would but here's the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it. I'd like to say thanks to all of my loyal reviewers and to the first timers as well.**

He blinked hard, trying to clear his blurry vision. Harsh florescent lights made it hard to focus at first. At long last he managed to focus. He smiled weakly at the person sitting beside his bed "Hey," he whispered with a scratchy throat.

"Hey," Olivia smiled at him "You had us worried there for a while," she said, trying to sound light hearted but failing. She sniffled and ran the back of her hand across her eyes.

"How long have you been here?" Elliot asked.

Olivia glanced quickly at her watch "A little over three hours," she told him. She noticed his eyes wandering around the room and added "Kathy was here but I told her to go back to bed. She's still pretty weak. I told her I'd call as soon as you woke up," she moved to stand up to go out into the hall and fulfill her promise.

Elliot's hand quickly grasped her arm, holding her in place "Don't," he said, his eyes pleading with her.

"Elliot," she said sternly. She remembered him pulling this exact same thing the last time he'd been shot.

"Don't bother her," he told her "She needs her rest."

"She's worried sick about you," Olivia told him, removing his hand from her arm and standing up. Kathy had been getting paler and paler the longer she had sat with Olivia, waiting for Elliot to wake up. Olivia had finally convinced her to go get some sleep and had brought her back to her hospital room. Kathy had made her promise to call her the second Elliot woke up. And Olivia intended to keep her promise.

"Olivia," Elliot called "Don't bother her," when Olivia turned back to look at him he added "She told me she wants to get divorced after all."

Olivia nodded "I know," she said "She already told me," she took a step back inside the room "But that doesn't mean she's not concerned," she felt tears beginning to sting her eyes "For God's sake," she was losing control of her own voice "You almost dies damn it!" She found herself clutching the doorframe for support "So, don't be a stubborn ass about this."

Elliot managed a small nod and let his eyes drift closed in resignation. He was too tired and in too much pain to put up much of a fight. Olivia stepped back into the hall and flipped her cell phone open.

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"He's angry with me," Kathy said quietly as Olivia pushed the wheelchair down the hall towards Elliot's room. The wheelchair had been Olivia's idea; when Kathy had first gotten out of bed that morning, she had wobbled a little too much for Olivia's liking and she had convinced her to sit in the wheelchair.

"He's not angry," Olivia tried to reassure the other woman but she didn't know for sure what Elliot was feeling. After she had returned to his room after calling Kathy earlier that morning to let her know that he was awake, Elliot hadn't said much of anything to her.

"He has every right to be mad at me," Kathy sighed. She couldn't expect him to even want to see her, let alone talk to her after their conversation last night. None of what Kathy had said had shocked her; she'd been thinking about it for months. But Elliot had been more than willing to remain with his pregnant wife, no matter what sort of feelings did or didn't exist between them anymore.

"Don't think like that," Olivia said with a small smile "He can't possibly be mad when he sees both of you."

Kathy smiled down at the baby in her arms. She had been worried about Elliot being upset with her since the moment Olivia had called to say he was awake. The decision to bring Elliot Jr. with them had been a collaborative one between the two women. After all, who could be upset in the presence of such a cute bundle of joy?

"Brought you some visitors," Olivia smiled, pushing the wheelchair through the door of Elliot's room.

Elliot looked up and his eyes locked with Kathy's "Hi," he said, unenthusiastically. Then his eyes landed on his son, resting in Kathy's arms and he smiled "Hey little guy," he cooed as Olivia pushed the wheelchair closer.

"How are you feeling?" Kathy asked, feeling very uncomfortable. Part of her just wanted to turn around and ask Olivia to take her back to her room. But she knew that she owed it to Elliot to make things right between them for the sake of their children; she didn't want to separate on unhappy terms with him as she had done the first time. As Olivia had said, she had broken his heart and she didn't want to do that again.

"It's not as bad as it looks," Elliot told her dismissively. He looked up at Olivia with a pleading gaze.

Olivia shifted from one foot to the other and glared back at him. This wasn't any less awkward for her. But he and Kathy needed to work things out. She cleared her throat "I… I'm gonna go get a cup of coffee," she said, backing out of the room and practically sprinting down the hall towards the vending machines.

Kathy sighed, looking down at her baby "I'm sorry," she whispered "I wanted you to understand but maybe you won't ever."

"Probably not," Elliot remarked dryly, glancing at the door every other second, hoping that Olivia would come back soon; he didn't think Kathy would have the courage to discuss the state of their marriage in front of anyone else.

"I just don't want us to end up hating each other," Kathy blurted out as their son began to nuzzle her, in search of his next meal. She adjusted her shirt to give him access to her nipple as she continued "And I'm afraid that's what's going to happen if we stay together."

Elliot stared at her in silence. When he had been interrogating her about the people she had seen during their separation, he had felt it. He feared the same thing. He started to comprehend what she was saying.

"I'm starting to feel trapped," Kathy admitted "I think you feel that way too sometimes. You used to spend time at work because you had to, now it's more that you want to."

"That's not true," Elliot objected.

"Maybe not entirely," Kathy said as the baby finished feeding and let go. She fixed her shirt so she was covered again "Our kids are pretty much grown… accept for this little guy," she said with a soft smile as she looked down "Being at home means fighting with each other about everything."

Elliot nodded. There had been nights when he had stayed to do paperwork just because he knew that the second he walked through the door, there would be something to argue about.

"I don't want to fight with you anymore," Kathy said softly "Besides, I think there's someone you'd rather be spending time with these days," she turned and glanced at the door, hoping that Olivia wasn't back yet.

"I want to spend time with my family," Elliot said, looking pointedly at his infant son.

"I know," Kathy said "And I promise you I won't stand in your way. But you need someone who can take care of you," she glanced at the door again "You need someone who can love you," she heard footsteps and quietly added "And that person might be closer than you think."

Olivia returned to the room "Hey," she dropped into a chair beside Elliot's bed "What did I miss?"

Elliot turned to look at her and scrutinized her suspiciously empty hands "I thought you were going to go get some coffee?" he asked.

"I… well…" Olivia looked down and blushed "Uh… the machine was out of order."

"Uh-huh," Elliot chuckled disbelievingly, as he watched her squirm nervously under his gaze. She was so damn cute when she was nervous. He almost laughed. He was in a hospital bed, after being shot. His wife and newborn son were in the room and he was checking out his partner. He had some serious issues.

Kathy cleared her throat, breaking the silence that had settled over the room "I think I'd better get Junior back to the nursery," she said "He's probably gonna need a diaper change soon."

"I'll take you," Olivia said, standing up.

Elliot reached out and put a hand on her arm "You're coming back right?" he asked, almost timidly.

"You better believe it," she told him with a bit of a grin.

Elliot turned to Kathy "You'll come back later too right?" he asked with a reassuring smile as if to say that he didn't want there to be any bad blood between them over her decision.

Kathy smiled and adjusted their son in her arms "We both will," she promised as Olivia came around to the other side of the bed and began to push the chair out of the room.

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"He's such a cutie," Lizzie cooed as she held her new baby brother. She and Kathleen had dropped by to see Kathy that afternoon. Dickie had opted not to come, instead choosing to spend the afternoon with his friends playing basketball.

Kathleen looked at the newest member of the family "I hope no one starts saying it's mine," she groused.

Lizzie scowled at her older sister's rotten attitude. She passed the baby back to her mother "How are you feeling mom?" she asked.

"I'm feeling a lot better," Kathy smiled at her daughter "I was wondering when you guys would show up," she joked.

At that moment Olivia walked into the room. She stopped short, noticing the two girls "Hi," she said almost shyly; she didn't know what they would have to say about everything that had happened.

Kathleen spoke first "What are you doing here?" she asked, none to kindly.

"Kathleen," Kathy reprimanded.

"She almost got you killed," Kathleen said, putting her hands on her hips "Why shouldn't I be surprised that she's here?"

"Drop the attitude right now," Kathy's tone was bordering on anger "Some idiot who ran a red light is the one who almost got me killed. If it wasn't for Olivia, I probably would have died, and your baby brother too. So stop being such a bitch," she finished breathlessly, the effort of getting angry at Kathleen having taken its toll on her. She fell back against the pillows and sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry," Olivia murmured, slowly backing away from the group "I didn't mean to interrupt anything. I'll see you later Kathy," she looked away "It was good to see you two."

"You don't have to leave Olivia," Lizzie said, following her out into the hallway "Kathleen's just mad at everyone these days," she explained "Don't take it personally."

Olivia turned to look at the teenager "I still think I should let you guys have some time alone," she explained. She turned to leave again when she felt Lizzie's hand on her arm.

"How's Dad doing?" she asked.

Olivia turned around and embraced the girl "He's doing fine sweetie," she smiled "I bet he'd be real happy to see you and your sister."

Lizzie's face dropped "I don't think we can today," she said regretfully "Kathleen's my ride and she wants to leave soon because she's got a big test to study for."

"I could give you a ride home if you want," Olivia offered "You just call my cell when you're ready to come visit with your Dad and we'll go see him together. Then I can drop you off at home."

Lizzie smiled "Thanks," she gave Olivia another hug "Are you sure you don't wanna come back in?" she asked, indicating her mother's hospital room.

"I'm sure," Olivia said "I just came to see the baby again and I've seen him plenty of times already. You guys should get a chance."

"He is cute isn't he?" Lizzie asked beaming with pride over her new brother.

"He is," Olivia agreed with a smile. She covertly looked down at her watch "I've gotta get going," she told Lizzie "I'll be waiting for your call."

"Okay," Lizzie smiled at Olivia as she walked away "Thanks," she called.

"No problem," Olivia tossed over her shoulder as she turned a corner on her way back to Elliot's room.

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"Don't worry about it Liv," Elliot said reassuringly, holding her hand "Lizzie's right, Kathleen's been angry at everything and everyone these days. Don't take it personally."

"I know," Olivia sighed. She couldn't help feeling guilty about the accident though, even though it hadn't been her fault. What Kathleen had said had stung her and she hadn't been able to shake the feeling. It must have been written all over her face when she walked into Elliot's room because he immediately knew that something had happened and in that way that only he had, he had gotten her to tell him everything.

"It'll be okay," Elliot told her with a small smile "You just can't let her get to you. She's just going through a phase."

Olivia laughed "She's nineteen Elliot. The whole, going through phases phase is over."

"I hope not," he chuckled.

Olivia leaned down and laid her head on the mattress beside Elliot's arm. She remained silent; she didn't know what to say to him.

Elliot moved his hand to the back of her neck and rested it there "It's not just Kathleen that's bothering you," he stated.

"Am I that obvious?" she asked, her voice muffled slightly by the mattress.

"Just a little," he chuckled softly "Come on, it's me you're talking to," he lifted his hand and brushed the tips of his fingers lightly over her skin "You can't hide anything from me."

Olivia looked up at him. She hadn't slept in about eighteen hours and she had very little resolve to combat his natural charm. But instead of spilling her innermost thoughts to him like she had when it had concerned Kathleen, she pulled away from him and sat up straight in the chair again, remaining silent.

Elliot studied her carefully "When was the last time you slept?" he asked.

"Not important," she countered.

"Yes it is," he said firmly "You need to take care of yourself Liv."

"Who's going to take care of you?" she blurted, not even sure what she was asking.

"That's why hospitals have nurses," he chuckled but when he saw the tears in her eyes he stopped "Olivia," he said gently "What is it?"

She turned away, wiping her eyes furiously. It was an uncontrollable flow, like when she had informed Kathy about what had happened to Elliot the night before. She took a shaky breath "You… you could have… died."

Elliot reached out to her, scooting over in the bed and making room for her. She came to him willingly, wanting to be close to him. She positioned herself carefully so that she didn't press up against his wound. He wrapped his arm around her and smiled softly "I'm fine," he assured her as she continued to cry.

"I know that," her tone was angry; she was angry at herself for not being able to stop crying. "But… what if…?"

"Don't think about that," he commanded softly "Don't worry about me. I'm fine."

Olivia would have said something else but her cell phone rang. She pulled away from Elliot and stood up "That's probably Lizzie," she said with a sniffle.

Elliot reached out and grasped her hand before she could leave "Hey," he said warmly "Don't worry."

Olivia turned away and stepped into the hall. It was easy for him to say not to worry. The problem was that no matter what, she always worried when it came to him.

**A/N: Okay, so it's kind of light on the EOness for now but that will change. I hope this chapter lived up to the expectations of my readers because to be honest, there were parts where I didn't know what I was doing. More to come soon, I promise.**


	4. Chapter 4: Won't Let You Fall

**True Affections**

**Chapter 4: Won't Let You Fall**

**A/N: I told you I haven't forgotten about this story. Writing my Christmas story "The Christmas Case" got me in the mood for some really good EOness. I hope you guys like this chapter.**

Olivia reappeared in the doorway of Elliot's hospital room after driving Lizzie home. She entered quietly; he had been exhausted when his daughter had come to see him but he had stayed awake for the duration of the visit. She had told him to get some sleep while she was away but he had insisted on staying awake until she got back; he was intent on finishing their talk from earlier.

She sat down beside the bed. He was exhausted and she was more than willing to let him sleep. She wasn't sure if she was ready to travel the road that their earlier conversation had been heading down. It wasn't long after she sat down that she too felt exhaustion creeping up on her.

She checked her watch and found that by now it had been nearly twenty two hours since she had last slept. She stifled a yawn as she watched the slow rise and fall of Elliot's muscular chest. She was so thankful that he had survived being shot. She had been so scared that she would lose him.

She settled herself as comfortably as she could in the plastic chair and propped her elbow on her knee. Her chin quickly dropped to rest in her hand. She continued to watch Elliot sleeping peacefully on the bed before her and without her even realizing it, her eyes drifted shut and the past day caught up with her as sleep swept her away.

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Elliot groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. He hadn't meant to fall asleep. He was just going to close his eyes for a minute. He should have known that that always led to falling asleep. His eyes slowly swept the room as he wondered what time it was and if Olivia was back yet. Then he saw her, sound asleep in one of those hard, plastic chairs that hospital always seemed to have a ready supply of. Some kind hearted nurse had wrapped a blanket around her, something he was sure Olivia would be grateful for if she had been aware of it at the time; the temperature of the room was uncomfortably cool.

He found himself unable to take his eyes off her. Though he wanted to talk to her desperately, he knew it had been far too long since she'd had any sleep so he let her sleep and he let himself watch her. She looked peaceful, serene, unburdened. It was a far too rare occurrence to see her like that. The world had been none too kind to his courageous partner and he knew she deserved far better than what she got.

Suddenly, Kathy's words from earlier that day ran through his mind. Olivia did deserve better but was he the person who could give it to her? Would she let him? She was the person he most enjoyed spending time with, aside from his children of course. But would she allow him to love her? She cared for him; that was all too obvious. They were the best of friends and an unstoppable team. But would that translate into a successful romantic relationship?

He wasn't sure he could make things work between them, no matter how much he wanted to. He had screwed up his marriage and if he tried to build something more with Olivia he would probably screw up what he already had with her. And what he already had with her was something that he held near and dear to his heart.

With Kathy, there relationship was built upon one act. They hadn't really gotten to know each other as people until after they had been married. Sure they had known some things about each other before they had sex but they had been stupid kids at the time and hadn't been interested in much beyond the superficial. He had never really gotten to know someone the way he had grown to know Olivia and that was something special to him.

He respected her. Perhaps that was why he had been so eager to flirt with Dani. Dani was there, Dani was superficial. Olivia had left and Dani was there. And, he didn't want to be friends with Dani. The more he got to know her, the more he wanted to be able to objectify her, tell himself that she wasn't anything to him. Dani could never be his friend.

But Olivia was his best friend, the person who wouldn't just be there when he came to her with his problems but the person who could sense when he needed someone and even when he didn't want her to, she would seek him out. And he loved her for it. He loved her. That was the problem. His feelings went far deeper than friendship. He wasn't quite sure when it had happened but it had. And now he had a choice. Continue to suppress his feelings and preserve their friendship, an option that seemed like it might destroy them both due to the ever mounting sexual tension that existed between them, or try to move forward, attempt to build a relationship with Olivia, an option that could cost them both their friendship and possibly their careers if they weren't careful.

He continued to ponder these burning questions as he watched Olivia sitting there, sleeping. As he watched her, she moved suddenly in her sleep. At first he thought she was waking up but it soon became clear that she wasn't. He never thought that it was possible to fall so deeply asleep in a sitting position that one could have a nightmare but as he watched her, he realized that it was indeed possible because that was what was happening.

"No!" she snapped suddenly in a sort of mumbling shout and he watched helplessly as she tumbled forward out of the chair; he was unable to leave his bed due to his injuries.

She landed on the floor and the shock of the fall was enough to rouse her. She sat there, hugging the blanket that had been placed around her shoulders tight to the point that the pallor of her knuckles matched the fabric clamped between them. Her eyes darted madly about the room as she tried to place where she was. It wasn't until her eyes met Elliot's that she visibly calmed, though only slightly. Her cheeks flushed when she realized that she was in a heap on the floor "Oh God," she muttered, looking down at her lap.

"Hey," he said compassionately, watching her carefully "You okay?"

She picked herself up, still looking shaken "Yeah," she said softly, ashamed of her incident and hoping to convey the fact that she really didn't want to discuss it. She still remembered vividly the nightmare she had had just prior to finding herself on the hospital floor in full view of Elliot. She only hoped that he didn't realize why she had fallen; the nightmare was something she didn't want to talk about, not with him and not with anyone.

"Liv," he spoke almost warningly as she returned to her seat. When she met his gaze with a quizzical look, he moved over in the bed, just as he had done earlier and patted the place beside him "If you're going to go back to sleep, you might want to be in a more comfortable position."

Olivia nodded but stayed in her seat. She wasn't planning on going back to sleep anytime soon. She smiled wryly at her partner "Thanks but I think that my little nap did the trick," it hadn't really; she was still very tired and there was a part of her, a very large part of her, that wanted to take Elliot up on his offer and crawl into bed beside him.

"Liar," Elliot called her bluff confidently with a smirk that might have made her angry if she wasn't so exhausted. "Come over here and keep your old, injured partner company," he frantically tried to search his mind for words that sounded less direct than that but they had been said and now he had to wait for her reaction. It seemed that his mind and heart had decided to proceed with the second option without letting him know.

Olivia smiled. The part of her that wanted to accept his invitation rapidly overcame the part of her that wanted her to remain at arms length and bare her own burdens. She slipped into the bed beside him and carefully positioned herself alongside him. "I'm not hurting you am I?" she asked timidly.

He smiled and wrapped an arm around her "Not at all," he said with a smile and suddenly the urge to lean in and kiss her overtook him and resisting it all of a sudden became a major priority. He couldn't kiss her now. He didn't know what she would do. She might pull away, retreat to the chair or even worse, retreat to her apartment, or perhaps Oregon again. That was what happened when things got to be too much for her, she ran, she ran from him. He couldn't mess this up and scare her away.

She smiled and subconsciously nuzzled against his shoulder. She felt him flinch and pulled back "I'm sorry," she said quickly, afraid that she had hurt him. Though the wound was on the opposite side of his chest from where she was, she couldn't just press up against him like that. It had been a gunshot wound after all, who knew what kind of pain he was in. She cursed herself for being so stupid.

"No," he said quickly in a gentle voice "It's okay. It doesn't hurt there, it's just…" he had been surprised at the gesture, his flinch had been involuntary, the surprise itself was a pleasant one.

She returned her head to his shoulder happily and let it rest there "So you're okay with this?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said warmly "Better than okay actually, are you okay with this?" he hoped that she was. He enjoyed being with her like this.

"Yeah," she replied in a tone that worried him. She was more than okay with lying there with him and that was what scared her. It seemed so natural, so perfect. Olivia had learned to doubt things that seemed to good. But this was Elliot, the most constant thing in her life for the past nine years. She had never doubted him. How could she doubt him now? The uncertainty of it all confused and frightened her.

"Have you eaten anything today?" Elliot asked from beside her as he watched her facial features, relaxed but not nearly so much as when she had been in peaceful, dreamless, slumber.

"Not really," she answered him. She wasn't really hungry; she was more tired than anything and the longer she lay with Elliot, the safer she felt and the more comfortable she was with the idea of falling asleep again.

"Wanna order something from the hospital cafeteria and split it?" he asked with a slight grin.

"Not really," she replied drowsily.

"Are you falling asleep?" he asked, amused and a bit relieved.

"Maybe," she mumbled. Just having Elliot so close was like some magical cure. She felt safe and warm and protected and though she couldn't quite identify the feeling yet, she felt loved.

"Go ahead," he smiled as he bent his head, unable to resist the urge any longer. He brushed his lips across hers and her eyes, which had drifted closed, fluttered open for a brief moment "I won't let you fall."

She smiled at him. It wasn't too good to be true after all. It was just really good and very true "I know," she said in a near whisper and she lifted her head from the bed just far enough to return his kiss. She let her head fall back and her eyes drifted closed.

He watched her breathing even out and when he thought she was asleep, he let his lips brush against her ear as he said, in a whisper that was barely more than a breath "I love you."

The response was almost immediate. In the same small breath of a voice, she returned the sentiment "I love you too."

**A/N: Okay, that was the chapter. I'd love to know what you all thought of it. If you haven't gotten the chance yet, I would also like to know what you guys think of my story "The Christmas Case". I'm trying to make it like an actual episode of SVU and it's not brimming with my usual amount of EOness… yet. I'm gonna try not to go EO crazy in that story but I will be trying to capture all of that sexual tension we love so much. So I would greatly appreciate your input on that story. Thanks in advance and I'll try to update this story soon too.**


	5. Chapter 5: Settling In

**True Affections**

**Chapter 5: Settling In**

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to get chapter five up. I kept running into road blocks with it. But I think I've gotten it to a place where I like it. I hope you enjoy and as always, thanks to all my wonderful reviewers.**

Two weeks passed and Elliot was finally released from the hospital. It had been decided that he would stay with Olivia for the time being. Since their admissions to one another in the hospital, neither one had broached the topic of a potential relationship and what it might mean.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with me?" Olivia asked as she pulled the baby's onesie back on after changing his diaper. Olivia had been dropping by the house on a daily basis to help Kathy take care of little EJ as they had nicknamed him. She couldn't help wanting to spend every second she could with the infant. Though she was not his flesh and blood mother, she had played a major part in bringing him into the world and had felt an instant connection with the tiny being from the moment she had first held him in the back of the ambulance.

It was a connection that Kathy both recognized and accepted though the latter came with some reluctance. EJ was after all her baby but she knew that without Olivia he might never have survived. She found herself more willing than even she would have thought to hand her infant over to another woman for any period of time.

Kathy took the baby from Olivia's outstretched arms and smiled, tickling him and kissing his cheek "I've got so much to do," she said, sounding regretful "But I'll call you later and see how he's settling in," Kathy paused, looking at the full diaper bag sitting on the bed. Olivia was turning to leave when Kathy stopped her.

Kathy's day was going to be consumed with Christmas shopping and preparations. It wasn't a healthy environment for a two week old baby "Why don't you take EJ with you?" she suggested.

Olivia couldn't help the way her face lit up "Really?" she beamed "Are you sure?"

Kathy nodded "Yeah," she smiled as she settled her son into the car seat and passed Olivia the diaper bag "I'm willing to bet Elliot is just itching to see him and I can come pick him up at your place when I'm done shopping."

Olivia smiled, swinging the diaper bag over one shoulder and picking up the car seat with her free hand "We'll see you later then," she said as she turned to leave.

"Have fun," Kathy smiled. Maybe having the baby around would force Olivia and Elliot's conversation in the relationship direction. Olivia had confided in Kathy about so many things over the past two weeks. Kathy couldn't help feeling for Olivia. The other woman's insecurities were compelling though, as Kathy had told her many times, when it came to Elliot, all of her fears were unfounded.

It was obvious to Kathy that Elliot had indeed meant what he had said to Olivia but Olivia continually rationalized and wrote it off as 'just one of those things you say'. Kathy hoped things would work out for her ex-husband and the woman who was quickly becoming a true and close friend.

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"Good morning," Olivia felt light hearted as she appeared in the doorway of Elliot's room, car seat in hand and baby sound asleep in it.

Elliot was sitting on the edge of the bed, already dressed in a change of clothes that he had had Maureen bring for him the day before. He hadn't wanted to make Olivia wait for him when she showed up so he had planned ahead. He smiled when he saw her and stood up, the action not winding him nearly as much as it had the first time he had attempted it after his injury "Hi," he said as she approached.

"You ready?" she asked as she laid a gentle hand on his arm.

"Yeah," he looked down at the car seat "I didn't know you were coming along," he said to the sleeping infant.

"It was Kathy's suggestion," Olivia explained as they walked to the car "She's gonna pick him up at my place later."

Elliot slid into the passenger's seat as Olivia strapped the car seat into the back "Are you sure you can handle this?" he asked.

Olivia took her seat and turned to look at him with confusion "What do you mean?" she asked a little hurt. Sure she had never had a child of her own but she was perfectly capable of looking after a baby for a few hours, especially with Elliot there.

"Do you really want to put up with me?" Elliot asked and Olivia immediately felt guilty for her train of thought.

"Of course I do," she smiled softly at him "Why wouldn't I? I've put up with you for nine years."

"I mean…" Elliot trailed off, turning to watch the tall buildings pass by "We never… I mean being partners is a lot different than…" he stopped talking again. He took a deep breath "I'm not an easy person to live with."

"I've noticed," Olivia remarked with a small smile.

"Thanks," Elliot mumbled.

Olivia reached over at a red light and patted his hand. She had her own doubts about this and whether things were going to work out or not but she was sure that if things didn't work out, it would be because of her, not Elliot. When Elliot turned and looked at her, she suddenly felt her mouth run dry and words failed her. She wasn't even sure what they were discussing anymore "It'll be fine," she said dismissively as the light changed to green and she turned her attention back to driving.

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"It's amazing," Elliot marveled as he lay on his back on Olivia's couch, his infant son laying on his chest "He's getting so big."

"He's only two weeks old," Olivia chuckled from the kitchen where she was heating up a bottle "He's not that big."

"He's bigger than he was two weeks ago," Elliot countered as Olivia came back into the living room with the bottle. He slowly shifted so that he was sitting up and there was room for Olivia to sit down. Olivia made as if to hand him the bottle but he declined "Why don't you feed him?" he offered kindly.

Olivia understood what he was trying to do and she smiled "Both Kathy and I have had plenty of chances to feed him. I think you deserve a turn," she handed him the bottle.

He smiled gratefully at her as he took it and adjusted his son in his arms "Thanks," he said in a voice that was only a little more than a whisper.

"You're welcome," she settled herself into the cushions of the couch and watched Elliot feed his son "Later I might even let you have the pleasure of changing his diaper."

Elliot's face broke out into a grin in spite of himself "Gee, Thanks," he said sarcastically.

"You are more than welcome on that one," Olivia laughed.

As the afternoon passed, the two of them took turns holding the baby. They talked about things like work and how Olivia didn't have anything resembling a crib in her apartment. But conversation remained lighthearted, never in the three hours that they sat there did they talk about them.

When Kathy came to retrieve EJ, she found them in companionable silence. Even though neither of them seemed to be bothered by the lack of conversation, the silence quickly made Kathy feel awkward and self conscious. She cleared her throat nervously as she accepted the car seat from Olivia "Well," she shrugged her shoulders uncomfortably "I hope he behaved himself."

Olivia patted EJ on the head "He was a perfect angel," she smiled.

"He wasn't the one I was referring to," Kathy attempted to make a joke to relieve the tension that she felt in the room.

Olivia laughed "He behaved himself too," she said, half turning in Elliot's direction.

"How are you feeling?" Kathy asked, taking a step towards the couch where Elliot sat, sprawled across most of the cushions.

"Much better thanks," he replied with a shrug and a tiny smile in her direction.

After a long moment that seemed far too long for Kathy, she cleared her throat "Will you be stopping by the house tomorrow?" she asked Olivia.

Olivia glanced back at Elliot momentarily "Not until the afternoon. Cragen wants me in early tomorrow to meet my temporary partner." She hadn't told Elliot about this yet. She was sure he had already figured out that since he wasn't allowed back at work for two weeks that Cragen would assign someone else to work with her for the duration but she didn't know how he would react to hearing the news out loud. When she herself spoke the words, they sent an uncomfortable wave of an emotion she couldn't quite identify through her body.

"Oh," was all Kathy said at first. The silence fell again and this time Kathy could tell that it was just as uncomfortable for the rest of them, with the exception of EJ of course who was sleeping soundly in the car seat. "We'll be looking forward seeing you," she said with more cheerfulness in her voice than she had intended as she picked up the diaper bag and slung it over her shoulder.

When Kathy had left, Olivia returned to the couch where she took her seat beside Elliot. She cleared her throat nervously but said nothing at first.

It was Elliot who broke the silence "This new partner have a name?" he asked, trying to make light out of the situation.

"Smith or Simmons or Schroeder or something like that," Olivia said disinterestedly "I really don't know anything about the guy."

"You know it's a guy," Elliot observed.

Olivia turned to him and caught the look in his eyes. She saw jealousy and it made her break out laughing "Yes it's a guy," she said when she had caught her breath. She slid closer to him on the couch, daring to go where they hadn't all afternoon "Are you that insecure?" she asked as she laid her head on his shoulder.

With memories of Dani still fresh in his mind, Elliot struggled not to say "Hell yes". Olivia wasn't him. The circumstances were completely different. He nuzzled the top of her head with his chin "No," he said a bit unsteadily "But… this is all new… you know."

Olivia looked up and smiled at him "I don't fell in love easily," she told him with conviction in her tone as she moved her lips closer to his.

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They lay in bed beside one another. Elliot was no where near healthy enough for the kind of activities he had been proposing to her since soon after they had finished eating dinner but as he had stated so innocently when she had objected that she couldn't allow herself to be tempted, there was no harm in cuddling. Olivia had tried to object that it was what cuddling might lead to that she was worried about; after nine years, she didn't think she could trust herself in the same bed with him if the bed wasn't in a hospital. But they had been laying together for nearly and hour now and though Olivia could feel how much Elliot wanted to go beyond the cuddling stage as much as she did, they managed to keep from crossing into that territory just yet.

"I love you," Olivia whispered as she couldn't help but bring her lips to his.

"I love you too," he told her before they engaged in a passionate kiss which though it was on Elliot's 'approved activities' list, still left him breathless when they pulled away. He looked at Olivia and knew that it wasn't just him.

"This is going to be the longest two weeks of my life," Elliot stated as he brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face.

"And how long did you go without sex when you were separated?" Olivia asked with an impish grin.

"Too long," Elliot admitted as he pulled her even closer to his chest "But that wasn't what I was talking about."

"Do tell," Olivia mused slightly drowsily.

"Not being with you… at work… it's gonna drive me nuts," he admitted.

She pulled away from him slightly and raised herself up on her elbow "We've been separated for longer than that before," she told him as she studied his face carefully "What's different this time?"

"I'm just used to feeling needed," he told her, though it wasn't a full truth. He didn't quite understand it himself.

"I will need you," she told him. A small smile spread across her face "Who else is going to listen to me bitch about Shrapnel or Shortstop or what ever his name is?"

He laughed, glad that although Olivia hadn't met him yet, she was already at least pretending to hate this new guy for Elliot's sake. He raised himself up on his elbow so that his eyes were level with hers. He leaned in and brushed his lips across hers "I can still do that much at least," he smiled.

Olivia snuggled down under the covers and scooted close to Elliot "Don't worry, you'll be back at work, complaining about how annoying it is to sit across from me all day soon enough."

"You never annoy me," he smirked as he kissed the top of her head and pulled her in close.

Olivia grinned and failed to stifle a yawn "You say that now," she murmured as she drifted off to sleep.

Elliot placed a kiss on each of her closed eyelids, causing them to flutter open once again "I love you," he whispered as Olivia stared back at him with sleep clouded eyes.

"I love you too," she smiled dreamily "Now stop talking so I can go to sleep."

Elliot chuckled "Good night Liv."

She made no effort to stifle the yawn this time "Good night," she said in good natured mock exasperation.

The two of them drifted off to sleep in each other's arms, both feeling completely safe. Olivia especially felt better than she had about anything in a long time. Even the prospect of a new and potentially infuriating partner didn't seem to trouble her as much as it had when she had first blurted the news out to Kathy in Elliot's presence earlier that afternoon.

Neither one of them new, though Elliot, with his many doubts, suspected, that this new temporary partner would test their relationship in ways that the fledgling romance might not be able to withstand.

**A/N: Dun, dun, dun. Here's a hint, you guys have already met Olivia's new partner in this story. How will he test their relationship?**


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